Maybe he did at least try to provide Dad, Grumbkow and everyone else with the impression he was, in fact, putting boundaries between them.
Wow. That's a very persuasive theory. Those poor kids. They have ONE good thing going for them in their lives, and then FW has to go fuck that up too. Start with imprisoning Fritz and pressuring Wilhelmine into a marriage, then put Fritz in a position where he has to be more aloof than usual around her and act like it's his idea. Man.
Also, thanks so much for this write-up. I had seen summaries but never a full translation, and I don't at all remember seeing the advice to have boundaries with Wilhelmine.
But the SD and Wilhelmine threats would undoubtedly have been carried out. It's hostage taker logic at its most ruthless.
Yep. Something that comes into play in my AUs where he makes it.
Let's also remember that Wilhelmine has her own reasons for pent-up resentment of Fritz, not just for being all "the best of all possible mothers" with SD, but for being willing to abandon her to the abuse, in a way that will lead to a worsening of her abuse. And with a plan that obviously poorly thought out, to boot.
Is this Fritz's fault? No, I will defend to the death the right of any abuse victim to get out of an abusive situation, even if it means leaving hostages behind to be punished. But as Wilhelmine psychology goes, I don't think she'd be human if she wasn't hurt at all, just as I don't think Fritz could help being hurt that she didn't support him getting out of there, however valid her reasons (like the fact that that plan was never going to work).
Honestly, props to them both for sticking by each other as much as they did, and in however messed up a way.
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Re: Grumbkow's "How to Succeed at the Court of FW if you're his son" list....
Date: 2020-02-04 12:22 am (UTC)Wow. That's a very persuasive theory. Those poor kids. They have ONE good thing going for them in their lives, and then FW has to go fuck that up too. Start with imprisoning Fritz and pressuring Wilhelmine into a marriage, then put Fritz in a position where he has to be more aloof than usual around her and act like it's his idea. Man.
Also, thanks so much for this write-up. I had seen summaries but never a full translation, and I don't at all remember seeing the advice to have boundaries with Wilhelmine.
But the SD and Wilhelmine threats would undoubtedly have been carried out. It's hostage taker logic at its most ruthless.
Yep. Something that comes into play in my AUs where he makes it.
Let's also remember that Wilhelmine has her own reasons for pent-up resentment of Fritz, not just for being all "the best of all possible mothers" with SD, but for being willing to abandon her to the abuse, in a way that will lead to a worsening of her abuse. And with a plan that obviously poorly thought out, to boot.
Is this Fritz's fault? No, I will defend to the death the right of any abuse victim to get out of an abusive situation, even if it means leaving hostages behind to be punished. But as Wilhelmine psychology goes, I don't think she'd be human if she wasn't hurt at all, just as I don't think Fritz could help being hurt that she didn't support him getting out of there, however valid her reasons (like the fact that that plan was never going to work).
Honestly, props to them both for sticking by each other as much as they did, and in however messed up a way.